Cross Follow
Thursday After Ash Wednesday
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 9:22-25 - Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Christian life is about following Christ. Christ gives us some things that are required for following Him in today’s Gospel. To follow Him, someone must “deny himself” and “take up his cross daily.” Lent is a wonderful time to get used to denying ourselves. If we can learn to deny ourselves some little things that we want (e.g., TV or candy), this can train our wills to make bigger, more important sacrifices in life, like denying ourselves sleep to help with a sick child, or denying our wants so we can help to make a family member happy.
Look, as well, at how often Jesus says we must take up our cross—daily. We do not pick certain times to follow Christ. We must do it every day: at school, at work, on weekends, with friends, with enemies. Is there a part of our Christian life in which we are inconsistent? Prayer, fasting, almsgiving? Are there sins we give in to? Impatience, laziness, lust, anger, demanding our own way, using others? During prayer, consider what little suffering has come our way today, and how we can accept it as part of our “daily cross” in following Christ.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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